Sunday lie-in was the last thing I enjoyed the most before work began. I knew that the following day I would start getting up early. I'll be back to face my old battles. Battle with getting up early in the morning. Battle with eating breakfast. I don't enjoy early morning meals. The doctor told me that one big reason why I never get fatter is that I don't eat breakfast. I don't know, it just feels so difficult for me. It seems that my throat is locked, my stomach is not ready to accept anything except a warm liquid like coffee maybe or cereal at most. But when work starts, I have to force myself to eat something before 7am??!!! Duh, it is a struggle for me. Another battle which I have to face is the battle with keeping myself in a positive mood. No matter how I feel, sick, sad, dissapointed, angry, etc. I have to face my classes with a positive attitude and great enthusiasm or else I'd rather not hold a class. the most difficult part in being a teacher is that you can't be just human for being human alone allows you to entertain different emotions. But to be a teacher, you have to be more than human, for in class, you are the biggest influence, your students feel according to the mood you've set. Which basically means - anything starts from you. Oh, well sometimes there are days when it's not applicable, days when nothing simply works no matter how you try. students are individuals too and they, too, have their own moods.
Monday, 5:45am i got up. I guess I set my alarm a little bit early. I always adjust it though. I try to extend for another 10 minutes and another 10 and another until sometimes I don't have enough time to prepare. But it was the first day so, I got up accordingly. It was due to a bit of excitement, a bit of fear that I might miss the school bus. I didn't want to make any mistake on the first day. I wanted to start it right. And I did.
I got to the bus stop at the south gate of the campus 5 minutes earlier. I didn't want to repeat my runnings last semester when I got out of the room 3 minutes before the bus arrives and I had to run very fast in order not to miss it. Lol. That was so crazy. The bus arrived late, or maybe there were changes which we were not informed about. Anyway, it wasn't my fault if I'll be late for class.
Bus was the same, same driver, same teachers as well. Nothing much have changed. We got to school late of course and I met my students on the stairs leaving the classroom already. They thought I was not gonna be there. But hey, I made it. It was one of the good things to start up the semester. My first class was the smallest class and I had good times with them last semester so, we seem to like each other. No pressure. We talked about plans for the new term, reminders regarding grading system, some coping up, and much about what to expect. I showed them pictures from the Philippines which I promised them last semester but I never did for there was no time for extras like this. They filled me in with questions and stuff. In a word it was an open talk and culture sharing which mostly happens on the first days of every foreign teacher's class. Every class is composed of 2 periods which is equivalent to 2 classes of 50 minutes each. First class went so well.
I had no idea which class will come on the 3rd and 4th periods. My schedule are all in Chinese and all I can read from there is which campus and the time and the classroom. I went out during the break and came back to class after. Uhhh the class was one of the ones I had trouble with last term. SIGH. not good. I thought that okay, we are going to be dissapointed of each other. But I cannot show them that, something has to be done or else all our days for 17 weeks will suck. And it will suck the whole energy out of us. What's the point of meeting if we are gonna piss each other all the time? I talked, explained things, we gotta do it anyway no matter how we like it or no so... i think they too understood somehow. And we started like a usual class. To my surprise, it even turned out lil bit better than I expected. I failed 5 of them last term and I saw them present. Two of them showed a little bit more enthusiasm on the first day which is not bad at all, it means that they want to make up for their performance. Good for them, I don't fail them because I want to, I just compute the scores they collected for the whole term. There are only 2 girls in this class and many of the boys are not interested in learning at all. Not only that their performance is poor but they don't try also. Anyway, we had an agreement which I made of course. I am not going to force anybody to study but I also don't want anybody to beg me later for a passing mark. I hope I made myself clear. We ended the day with smiles. I still will try to make it better ... all I can do is try, but if they wont cooperate then, I don't know what to do anymore. Perhaps, I should just stick with those few who are really trying their best.
The bus leaves the school at 12:05 and it takes us 45 minutes to get to the campus where I live. It goes back to the campus where I teach at 1:05. Obviously, I will not even have time to pee after eating. SO I decided to eat in the downtown for the bus passes by in the afternoon to pick up some teachers who live somewhere close by. I met Shamil at pizza hut and we had lunch there. At 1:20, the bus arrived just at the road outside pizza hut and I took it, while Shamil has to take taxi going back to the campus where he is supposed to teach. I saw 3 new teachers in the bus coming with us to the east campus. Welcome to the club lol.
First class in the afternoon begins at 2:10pm but we got there 15 minutes earlier. I stayed outside the classroom to wait for the time. I got a little lucky with my classrooms this term, they're all in the multimedia room which means that I have the access all the time. Last term was so difficult 'cause whenever I want to use it was occupied. The class came. This was one of my favorites. I never had any problem with them. We even didn't have enough time to enjoy other class activities I prepared for them. This is the biggest class of 60 where there is only 1 girl in the whole class. I never had problems with them, they were always active and willing to learn and have more fun. So this semester I'll let them enjoy our classes.
Breaktime, I stayed outside and the students of my next class saw me. They came excitedly greeting me. They are okay, not the best class but they didn't give me any trouble either. Two of the boys came to me to introduce their girlfriends. Last term they have been complaining to me that there are no girls in the class and in the campus so they cannot make girlfriends. Now they finally found. We talked, blah blah, just some bull and stuff. this class want to talk, not to study but talk more. Of course I cannot allow that. But we do talk sometimes, it's a part of their practice anyway. Well at least I'm sure that they like me here so I will not have hard time having classes with them.
I don't take break on the 4th and 6th periods so I can dismiss them earlier. I gotta get to the bus earlier as well. We left the campus at 6:10 and I got home around 7 already. I still have to go to the supermarket to buy some things we need at home. My throat was sore. I have been busy talking and also telling stories later at home. I heard much of news too. Too many things happened. There was an overflow of information.I felt tired but still somehow felt excited. The first day wasn't too bad. After dinner, I still managed to check may mails, facebook and I even stayed online till 11:45. And I took a warm shower after chatting. I went to bed maybe at 12:30 and that was when I felt that I was actually exhausted. My muscles ache and whenever I change position I feel my body, it was heavy. Whew, you actually feel tired when you start relaxing.
I set my alarm at 6:00 already for the 2nd day, I think it'll be enough time to prepare.
Monday, 5:45am i got up. I guess I set my alarm a little bit early. I always adjust it though. I try to extend for another 10 minutes and another 10 and another until sometimes I don't have enough time to prepare. But it was the first day so, I got up accordingly. It was due to a bit of excitement, a bit of fear that I might miss the school bus. I didn't want to make any mistake on the first day. I wanted to start it right. And I did.
I got to the bus stop at the south gate of the campus 5 minutes earlier. I didn't want to repeat my runnings last semester when I got out of the room 3 minutes before the bus arrives and I had to run very fast in order not to miss it. Lol. That was so crazy. The bus arrived late, or maybe there were changes which we were not informed about. Anyway, it wasn't my fault if I'll be late for class.
Bus was the same, same driver, same teachers as well. Nothing much have changed. We got to school late of course and I met my students on the stairs leaving the classroom already. They thought I was not gonna be there. But hey, I made it. It was one of the good things to start up the semester. My first class was the smallest class and I had good times with them last semester so, we seem to like each other. No pressure. We talked about plans for the new term, reminders regarding grading system, some coping up, and much about what to expect. I showed them pictures from the Philippines which I promised them last semester but I never did for there was no time for extras like this. They filled me in with questions and stuff. In a word it was an open talk and culture sharing which mostly happens on the first days of every foreign teacher's class. Every class is composed of 2 periods which is equivalent to 2 classes of 50 minutes each. First class went so well.
I had no idea which class will come on the 3rd and 4th periods. My schedule are all in Chinese and all I can read from there is which campus and the time and the classroom. I went out during the break and came back to class after. Uhhh the class was one of the ones I had trouble with last term. SIGH. not good. I thought that okay, we are going to be dissapointed of each other. But I cannot show them that, something has to be done or else all our days for 17 weeks will suck. And it will suck the whole energy out of us. What's the point of meeting if we are gonna piss each other all the time? I talked, explained things, we gotta do it anyway no matter how we like it or no so... i think they too understood somehow. And we started like a usual class. To my surprise, it even turned out lil bit better than I expected. I failed 5 of them last term and I saw them present. Two of them showed a little bit more enthusiasm on the first day which is not bad at all, it means that they want to make up for their performance. Good for them, I don't fail them because I want to, I just compute the scores they collected for the whole term. There are only 2 girls in this class and many of the boys are not interested in learning at all. Not only that their performance is poor but they don't try also. Anyway, we had an agreement which I made of course. I am not going to force anybody to study but I also don't want anybody to beg me later for a passing mark. I hope I made myself clear. We ended the day with smiles. I still will try to make it better ... all I can do is try, but if they wont cooperate then, I don't know what to do anymore. Perhaps, I should just stick with those few who are really trying their best.
The bus leaves the school at 12:05 and it takes us 45 minutes to get to the campus where I live. It goes back to the campus where I teach at 1:05. Obviously, I will not even have time to pee after eating. SO I decided to eat in the downtown for the bus passes by in the afternoon to pick up some teachers who live somewhere close by. I met Shamil at pizza hut and we had lunch there. At 1:20, the bus arrived just at the road outside pizza hut and I took it, while Shamil has to take taxi going back to the campus where he is supposed to teach. I saw 3 new teachers in the bus coming with us to the east campus. Welcome to the club lol.
First class in the afternoon begins at 2:10pm but we got there 15 minutes earlier. I stayed outside the classroom to wait for the time. I got a little lucky with my classrooms this term, they're all in the multimedia room which means that I have the access all the time. Last term was so difficult 'cause whenever I want to use it was occupied. The class came. This was one of my favorites. I never had any problem with them. We even didn't have enough time to enjoy other class activities I prepared for them. This is the biggest class of 60 where there is only 1 girl in the whole class. I never had problems with them, they were always active and willing to learn and have more fun. So this semester I'll let them enjoy our classes.
Breaktime, I stayed outside and the students of my next class saw me. They came excitedly greeting me. They are okay, not the best class but they didn't give me any trouble either. Two of the boys came to me to introduce their girlfriends. Last term they have been complaining to me that there are no girls in the class and in the campus so they cannot make girlfriends. Now they finally found. We talked, blah blah, just some bull and stuff. this class want to talk, not to study but talk more. Of course I cannot allow that. But we do talk sometimes, it's a part of their practice anyway. Well at least I'm sure that they like me here so I will not have hard time having classes with them.
I don't take break on the 4th and 6th periods so I can dismiss them earlier. I gotta get to the bus earlier as well. We left the campus at 6:10 and I got home around 7 already. I still have to go to the supermarket to buy some things we need at home. My throat was sore. I have been busy talking and also telling stories later at home. I heard much of news too. Too many things happened. There was an overflow of information.I felt tired but still somehow felt excited. The first day wasn't too bad. After dinner, I still managed to check may mails, facebook and I even stayed online till 11:45. And I took a warm shower after chatting. I went to bed maybe at 12:30 and that was when I felt that I was actually exhausted. My muscles ache and whenever I change position I feel my body, it was heavy. Whew, you actually feel tired when you start relaxing.
I set my alarm at 6:00 already for the 2nd day, I think it'll be enough time to prepare.
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